Evil was a garage rock band from Miami, Florida, active between late 1965 and early 1967. They were known for a hard–driving, sometimes, thrashing 60s punk sound that combined elements of blues, rockabilly, and British invasion influences. They recorded several songs, amongst which “Always Runnin' Around” and “Whatcha Gonna Do” were released as a single on Living Legend Records in 1966. The band would eventually be signed to Capitol Records, but broke up shortly thereafter. In more recent years they have become particularly noted for several previously unreleased songs recorded in 1966, which have been released in recent years on various independent labels from acetates, such as "From a Curbstone," "Short Life," and especially "I'm Movin' On," which is now regarded as a garage classic.
The Savages were a garage rock band from Bermuda that were active in the mid-1960s. They are best remembered for their album, Live 'n Wild, which was composed largely of self-penned tunes and recorded in front of a live audience, has been mentioned as a seminal work in the genre, and features the song, "The World Ain't Round It's Square". This song has become regarded as a classic 1960s anthem of youthful defiance.
The Gentlemen were an American garage rock band from Dallas, Texas, who were active from 1964 to 1968. They are best known for their 1966 song, "It's a Cry'n Shame", which has been recognized as one of the greatest songs in garage rock. The band is noted for the contributions of guitarist and songwriter, Seab Meador. Jimmie Vaughan, later a member the Fabulous Thunderbirds and brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan, served a brief stint for several months in the Gentlemen in late 1965 and early 1966, but did not appear on any of their recordings. He went on to play in another Dallas garage rock band, the Chessmen.
"It's a Cry'n Shame" is a song written by Seab Meador and Mike Kelley and was recorded in 1966 by the Gentlemen, an American garage rock band from Dallas, Texas who were active between 1964 and 1968. It was originally released as the B-side to "You Can't Be True" but has become by far the better-known song. "It's a Cry'n Shame" has been included in several garage rock compilations and is now recognized as one of the greatest songs in the genre.
Bohemian Vendetta was an American garage rock and psychedelic band from Long Island, New York, who were active from 1966-1968. In addition to recording two officially released singles and several previously unissued demos, they cut a self-titled album, Bohemian Vendetta, released by Mainstream Records in 1968.
The Humane Society were an American garage rock band from Simi Valley, California who were active from 1965 through 1968, who are best known for their 1967 protopunk anthem, "Knock Knock."
The Mad Hatters were an American garage rock band from Annapolis, Maryland who were active in the 1960s and had a following in the Washington DC and Baltimore area. They enjoyed brief local and regional success with their first single, "I Need Love," released in 1965, later recorded by the Time Stoppers. Though they failed to reach a wider audience, in the intervening years since their breakup they have become known amongst garage rock collectors and enthusiasts. Their 1966 song "I'll Come Running" has also become a song highly regarded amongst enthusiasts.
The Liberty Bell was an American garage rock/psychedelic rock band from Corpus Christi, Texas who were active in the 1960s. They specialized in a blues-based brand of proto-punk influenced by British groups such as the Yardbirds. The band failed to reach wider audience in the time, but have come to the attention of garage rock collectors and enthusiasts in the intervening years since their breakup, with their work appearing on several compilations.
The Stumblin' Blox were an American garage rock band from Abilene, Texas who were active in the 1960s. They are known for songs such as "It's Alright." Though they failed to achieve commercial success, their works have come to the attention of garage rock enthusiasts and collectors over the years and have been included several compilations.
The Dagenites were an American garage rock a band from Oxon Hill, Maryland near Washington, DC, who were active in the 1960s. They shared management and frequent billing with noted guitarist and performer Link Wray. In recent years their work has become highly regarded amongst garage rock enthusiasts and collectors and has been included on several compilations. The Dagenites are especially known for their proto-punk anthems, "I Don't Want to Try it Again" and "I'm Gone Slide", both of which have been mentioned as garage rock classics.
The Kreeg were an American garage rock band from Albuquerque, New Mexico who were active in the 1960s. They were one of the most popular groups in the Albuquerque area and enjoyed local hits from both sides of their 1966 single "How Can I" b/w "Impressin'". Their work has come to the attention of garage rock enthusiasts with the release of the 1996 anthology Impressin', which features their complete recordings.
The Humans were an American garage rock band from Albion, New York who were active in the 1960s. They were popular in the region, touring throughout the Northeast, and enjoyed a regional hit, with the single "Take a Taxi" b/w "Warning", that received airplay in other markets around the country. "Warning" has become especially valued amongst garage rock enthusiasts and was included on the Back from the Grave compilation series.
The Kitchen Cinq were an American garage rock band from Amarillo, Texas active in the 1960s, whose lineup included guitarist and songwriter Jim Parker. They evolved out of the Illusions and eventually changed their name to the Y'alls, releasing records under both names, and enjoyed regional success before moving to Los Angeles, where they signed with Lee Hazlewood's LHI label and became the Kitchen Cinq. As the Kitchen Cinq they recorded five singles between 1966 and 1968, as well as the album Everything but the Kitchen Cinq, released in 1967. In December 1967, they released a single under the alias a Handful, but returned to their better-known moniker for their final release in 1968.
The Brymers were an American garage rock band from San Joaquin Valley, California, who were active in the 1960s. They had a regional hit with the song "Sacrifice", which also received distribution overseas and managed to garnish airplay in parts of Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. Although they only released one single, they recorded numerous unissued tracks that would subsequently be released on CD between 2007 and 2008. The group reunited in 2007 and have since been active on stage and in the studio, releasing five CDs containing old and new material. "Sacrifice" and their version of "The House of the Rising Sun" were both featured in the film Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher. Their song "I Want to Tell You" was included in a scene from the ABC TV series Once Upon A Time.
The Chessmen were an American garage rock band from Denton, Texas, near Dallas, who were active since the 1960s till date. They were one of the most popular bands in the region and recorded for Bismark Records, where they recorded three singles including, "I Need You There", which is now considered a garage rock classic. The band is notable for including several members who went on to greater fame. Jimmie Vaughan, brother of Stevie Ray Vaughan was briefly a member, joining after the death of original band leader, guitarist, and vocalist, Robert Patton, who died in a boating accident in 1966. Drummer Doyle Bramhall later played with and wrote songs for Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Bill Etheridge later played bass with ZZ Top. Following the breakup of the Chessmen, several of their members, including Jimmie Vaughan, went on to form a group that would come to be known as Texas Storm, which eventually included Stevie Ray Vaughan on bass, in 2010 Ejim Chukwudiebube Daniel started it up and the group it's active till date, head office is now located in Abuja Nigeria.
Danny and the Counts were an American garage rock band from El Paso, Texas, who were active in the 1960s. They were one of the most popular bands in the thriving Latino rock scene in El Paso. They had a local hit with their 1965 R&B-flavored debut single, "For Your Love", but afterward switched their approach to reflect British Invasion influence. In 1966 they released a single on Coronado Records featuring the two songs for which they have become best-known, "You Need Love" and "Ode to the Wind". In the intervening years their work has come to be highly regarded by garage rock enthusiasts.
The Grifs were an American garage rock band from Charlotte, North Carolina, who were active in the 1960s. Their song, "Catch a Ride" became the number one hit in Charlotte and did well in markets around the Carolinas, and reached number one in Birmingham, Alabama. The group was able to secure airplay in northern markets, such as in Lansing, Michigan, where it reached number one, as well as in the Detroit area and parts of Canada. They were invited to open for the Amboy Dukes in Detroit, where they began to play frequent engagements in the Michigan region, and recorded their second single, "Keep Dreaming", in Detroit. Just when the Grifs prospects looked hopeful, drummer Roy Skinner departed and guitarist Mike Wingate received a draft notice to go to Vietnam. By early 1968, the group folded. Their work is now highly regarded by garage rock enthusiasts and several of their songs have appeared on compilations.
The Tamrons were an American garage rock band from Concord, North Carolina, near Charlotte who were active in the 1960s. They became one of the most popular bands in Concord and the Charlotte area during the mid-1960s and enjoyed a regional hit with their single, "Wild Man" backed with "Stop, Look, Listen" recorded at Arthur Smith's studio in Charlotte and released on his Pyramid label. They broke up in 1968. In the intervening years their work has become highly regarded by garage rock enthusiasts and has appeared on several compilations.
The Daybreakers were an American garage rock and psychedelic band from Muscatine, Iowa, who were active in the 1960s. They became one of the most popular bands in their region which included the Quad Cities. Jack Barlow, a popular DJ and country music recording artist had them record songs for a planned single at Columbia Recording Studios arranged a contract with Atlantic Records, who released the group's single on their Dial label featuring "Psychedelic Siren" which included siren sound effects generated by a primitive electronic device. Though the song became a big regional hit in Iowa, Atlantic lost interest in the band and they made no further recordings. In the intervening years, their work has come to the attention of garage rock enthusiasts and has been included of several compilations.
Dean Ellis Kohler is an American rock musician from Portsmouth, Virginia who has been active in various groups and as a solo artist since 1962. That year he formed Dean & the Mustangs, who later changed their name and recorded demos as the Satellites. In 1966 Kohler was drafted into the army as an MP in the Vietnam War. While stationed in Qui Nhơn, he formed the group, the Electrical Banana, who recorded several songs in an army tent, amongst which a version of Lou Reed's "There She Goes Again" and Kohler's original, "She's Gone" were pressed into a limited number of 45RPM records and came to the attention of garage rock enthusiasts. In 1968, when he returned from duty to Portsmouth, he assembled a backing band and recorded the single "Gooseberry Pie". Later in 1968, he formed the band, the Soft Light, who appeared weekly on a local TV show. and by the end of the decade the hard rock group, Mad Wax, who remained active into the 1970s. He chronicled his Vietnam War experiences in Rock 'N' Roll Soldier: A Memoir, published in 2009. Kohler's recordings with the Satellites and the Electrical Banana are included on the compilation, Aliens, Psychos & Wild Things, Volume 1, and "Gooseberry Pie" on Essential Pebbles, Volume 2.
